Out-of-touch housing activists failed to broaden their appeal to the everyday taxpayer—could that explain why Prop 5 got “slapped down?” Tom Rubin, co-founder of the grassroots group that likely nudged RM4 off the ballot earlier this year, points out MTC/BAHFA still haven’t gotten the message. They insist on bond money going to prevailing wage contracts, thus inflating the cost of “affordable” housing. An Opp Now exclusive Q&A.
Read MoreFormer Palo Alto mayor Lydia Kou and Recovery Education Coalition founder Tom Wolf find it near-inconceivable that many local gov’ts endorsed Prop 5, while opposing Prop 36. Whether they're just out-of-touch, trying to line their pockets, or listening to the wrong stakeholders (all of the above?)—they've got to start prioritizing what Bay Area voters need. An Opp Now exclusive.
Read MoreContinuing our exclusive Election '24 analyses, Opp Now contributors argue that local/State gov't's tax mania ultimately brought the chandelier down on themselves this cycle (so to speak) via misguided measures RM4 and Prop 5. Featuring comments from: Cato Institute's Marc Joffe, HJTA's Jon Coupal, transit expert Tom Rubin, and real estate agent Mark Burns.
Read MoreMany free market-minded Bay Areans see wins in Nov. '24's rejection of tax-increasing Prop 5, passing of Prop 36, and more—but one local issue we can't vote away: extreme ideological divides. For this Opp Now exclusive, political science professors (UC Berkeley, Stanford, and University of SF) share insightful book recommendations on why we're so polarized today, what this means for local politics—and, yes, how to get back on track.
Read MoreThe fed’s unsustainable financial house may not yet be affecting Californian voters as they decide just how much they want to let their state government borrow. Economist Mike ter Maat says Prop 5 likely failed because it would have enabled indescribable future debt that affects voters' taxes directly. Yet Props 2 and 4 sailed through, because proponents made a case for borrowing more billions—on top of our state deficit. An Opp Now exclusive Q&A.
Read MoreIn Election '24, elected officials were so infatuated with tax-raising Proposition 5 that—um—they didn't realize the proposal would get an “I'm not interested” from 55.5% of CA'ns. Below, more Opp Now exclusive post-election analyses from Tom Wolf, Tom Rubin, Jon Coupal, and Pierluigi Oliverio.
Read MoreIn this exclusive installment of a special Opp Now Election '24 series, our contributors aren't dancing around the issues: they unpack, below, some key City/County election results—including how “low information voters” impact which candidates are, or aren't, given a whirl in office. From Tobin Gilman (SJ community leader), Gus Mattammal (Midcoast Community councilmember), Mark Burns (local real estate agent), and Pierluigi Oliverio (SJ planning commissioner).
Read MoreWelp, it happened: 69.8% of Bay Areans (and 68.9% CA-wide) voted “yes” to reinstating felony charges for certain property crimes and establishing “treatment-mandated felonies” for some repeat offenders. But why was Prop 36 so overwhelmingly supported? In this exclusive, we trace back Opp Now's Prop 47 & Prop 36 coverage, beginning in January 2022 and up 'til Election Day.
Read MoreGov. Newsom campaigned fervently against Prop 36, but it passed—with 68.9% voting “yes” (69.8% in SCC). SJ Council endorsed Prop 5 (8–2), but most County/State voters (respectively, 54.3% and 55.5%) couldn't stomach it and voted “no.” In this Opp Now exclusive, SJ community leader Tobin Gilman and HJTA's Susan Shelley analyze this startling disconnect—between local politicians and the people they are supposed to represent.
Read MoreProposition 5 (lowering CA's voter approval req't for infrastructure bonds) was wholeheartedly rejected by State and County voters this cycle. Below, SV Taxpayers Ass'n board member John Inks explains why. For this Opp Now exclusive installment, we also talked to transit expert Tom Rubin and real estate agent Mark Burns, who share some wins (and annoyances) from Election '24.
Read MoreContinuing our exclusive Opp Now post-election series, we hear today from Brian Holtz, SCC Libertarian Party secretary and Purissima Hills Water District director. Below, Holtz argues that SF's Ranked-Choice Voting system (in place since 2004) allows voters to elect more reasonable, broadly-supported candidates—not just pick the prettier of two evils.
Read MoreOur very own editor Lauren Oliver celebrates San Jose's first fall rain, below, with an elegant two-stanza poem that recalls the exquisite, otherworldly feelings of wonder we have after a storm's passed. An Opp Now exclusive.
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